Device for the visual representation of variable phenomena



Nov. 5, 1957 A F. w. KCHNE 2,811,790

DEVICE FOR THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF VARIABLE PHENOMENA Filed Nov. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE/W'QR:

FRIEDRICH WALTER K'HrIE sy. /t%:;3

Nov. 5, 1957 V v F. w. KUHNE 2,811,790

DEVICE FOR THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF VARIABLE PHENOMENA Filed Nov. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 23 .9 Z i g 20 %l 5 .3 A k r-rank":

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Fmvmcu WA TER Kimmz DEVICE FDR THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION F VARIABLE PHENOMENA Friedrich Walter Kiihne, Hamburg-Sass], Germany, as-

signor to Kutz & Schulze Zahnradfabrik, Hamburg, Germany Application November 4, 1952, Serial No. 318,565

Claims priority, application Germany November 9, 1951 2 Claims. (Cl. 35-24) The invention relates to a device for the visual representation of variable phenomena.

If it is desired to obtain data about variable phenomena, for example about the flow of blanks, semi-manufactured and finished parts in an industrial undertaking, or about the varying extent to which a machine tool in a factory is used, this has hitherto been done by means of graphic charts prepared by hand in the form of graphs, tables, curves, diagrams and the like, or by card index cards filled in with writing and so on. The keeping up-to-date of such charts is tedious, involves a great deal of labour and generally presupposes specialised knowledge, and above all it is expensive because of the considerable expenditure of writing and/ or drawing material, and moreover it is unreliable.

All these shortcomings are insignificant, however, in comparison with the still greater disadvantage that with the written methods hitherto known, variable phenomena could not be dealt with quickly and moreover no quick, clear general survey of the position of the variable phenomena at different times is obtained, especially if a large number of phenomena are being kept under observation and have to be recorded simultaneously.

The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks described in the methods of visual representation of variable phenomena hitherto known, and to produce a device by means of which individual phenomena can be graphically recorded in any number and in a simple way, and variations in them can be quickly, simply and easily indicated or recorded.

The device suggested for meeting these requirements is characterised according to the invention in that a supply container'and a receiver for a fluid medium are connected together by means of several passages which are separated from one another and are preferably upright, and which have transparent partitions, each individual passage being supplied with a control device at the top and bottom, by means of which pre-determined quantities of the fluid medium can be admitted into the individual passages and released from the passages into the receiver.

A further characteristic of the invention consists in the fact that a large number of equal-sized balls are used as the fluid medium.

In using such a fluid medium the invention provides for a device which is characterised in that a panel, one surface of which has a large number of parallel grooves lying side by side is covered on the outside by a transparent plate, the grooves being connected to a transparent supply container and a transparent receiver, and each individual groove having a slide with a press-button as a control device for the admission and removal of the balls to and from the grooves, said slide being subject to spring pressure and allowing only one ball to pass in or out each time it is actuated.

Further characteristics of the invention will be revealed hereinafter.

States Patent In the drawing, a specific embodiment of the invention is shown, by way of example, in a form of construction in which a large number of equal sized steel balls are used as the fluid medium.

Figure 1 shows a fragmentary section of the front view of such a device,

Figure 2 is a section through the line II-II in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section through the line IIIIII on the right-hand top part of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic drawing on a reduced scale of the entire device shown in fragmentary section in Figure l.

The chain line I shown in Figure 1, indicates the middle of the device, on either side of which a half, which is shown in fragmentary section, extends to left and right.

In the surface 1 of a rectangular panel 2, made of hard wood, a synthetic substance, metal or a similar material, thirty-one grooves 3 are cut to left and right of the centre line A shown in Figure 1. The grooves lie parallel to one another and have the same cross section. The grooves extend across the entire width of the panel to the left and right-hand edges of the panel (see Figures 1 and 4) with the exception of a centre strip indicated by B which is kept free for other purposes.

There can, of course, be any number of milled grooves according to the purpose for which the device is to be used.

Each of the sixty-two grooves according to the example shown, has an admission slide 5 and an outlet slide 6.

The admission slides 5 are plate slides which are mounted to slide in lateral guides at the upper edge of the panel 2, in the direction of the arrows C and D in Figure 2.

Each admission slide 5 has a perpendicular cylindrical bore '7, the diameter of which is somewhat greater than the cross section of the groove 3. Each admission slide 5 carries an auxiliary slide 8, which is secured to the slide 5 by means of a pin 9. The axuiliary slide 8 projects with its outer part into the groove 3 and shuts ofi" the groove.

If the slide 5 is pushed inwardly in the direction of the arrow C, the auxiliary slide 8, which is connected to it, moves as well, and thus opens the groove. The auxiliary slide E5 is arranged at such a distance below the admission slide 5 that it only stores a single ball in the groove 3. This applies to each of the sixty-two slides 5. Thus if one of these slides is actuated, that is to say pushed inwards in the direction of the arrow C, the auxiliary slide 8 opens the groove concerned so that it can allow the ball which it is keeping in store to fall downwardly. The halls stored in the bore 7 in the slide are taken with it and not until the slide 5 slides back in the direction of the arrow D is another ball stored in the groove space above the auxiliary slide 8.

The guides for the individual slides are covered at the top by an angle-bar 10 running across the whole width of the panel, so that the admission slides 5 are prevented from being deflected upwardly. The angle-bar it is secured to the upper edge of the panel by means of screws which are not illustrated.

The angle bar 10 also serves as a support and fastener for a cylindrical container 11, made of transparent material such as glass, which holds a large number of steel balls 12 of equal size and of a similar type to those used in ball bearings.

This tubular supply container 11 extends over the whole Width of the panel 2 as shown in Figure 1, 13 is a long slot through which a rod can be inserted and moved back and forth in order to distribute the balls in the container 11 equally over the whole Width.

The lower part of the container 11 is provided with sixty-two outlets 14 for which there are corresponding bores 15 in the angle-bar 10. The diameter of these two openings 14 and 15 is roughly three times the diameter of a ball 12 as shown in Figure 2.

Through the openings 15 and the openings 14 there protrudes a pin 16 which is mounted on every admission slide eccentric with the passage 7, and which, when the slide is actuated, moves the balls to prevent any jamming and facilitates the downward flow of the balls. The pin 16 is referred to herein as the agitator.

A bolt 17 with a thread 18 is screwed into each admission slide 5 and passes through the depending side 19 of the angle-bar. 20 is a leaf-spring which is secured by a rivet 21, and the upper part 22 of which engages in the slit in the head of the threaded bolt 17, thus at the same time preventing the bolt from being unscrewed. Each admission slide 5 has such a pressure spring the purpose of which is to urge the admission slide 5 into the normal position shown in Figure 2. The admission slides 5 each have a press-button 23 on the outside which has a part for labelling or numbering.

The outlet slides 6 belonging to each groove are similar in type to the admission slides 5 described above, and are likewise spring loaded. There is also an angle-bar 24 provided on the lower edge, which serves as a support for a receiver 25 made of transparent material such as glass. The bottom of this receiver is inclined and has its lowest part in the middle where an outlet 26 for the balls is provided (see Figure l).

Naturally for each of the sixty-two grooves, sixty-two outlets 27 are provided in the angle-bar 24. The outlet slides 6 also have press-buttons 23 with a space for labelling or numbering.

The outlet slides are so dimensioned that only one ball at a time can be taken by the outlet 28 in the slide (see Figure 2).

The front surface of the panel 2 is covered by a transparent plate, for example of glass, which also covers the open section of the grooves 3.

Scales 30 are preferably fitted beside the individual grooves and in order to make it easier to read off, the background of the panel should be kept dark so that the shining silver balls show up in strong contrast.

The lower part of the glass plate should preferably be covered up as shown at 31 in Figure 2, so that only the balls above the press-button on the outlet slide 6 are visible to the eye and the balls behind the press-button are hidden.

The method of operation of the device described is easy to understand. By actuating the individual admission slides 5 that is to say, by pushing the slide in the direction of the arrow C in Figure 2, one ball at a time is released, which then falls down; the grooves are therefore filled up from the bottom by the falling balls. When the outlet slide is pushed in the direction of the arrow E in Figure 2, one ball at a time is released which then escapes into the receiver 25. Thus the column of balls in the groove becomes smaller each time until finally the whole groove is emptied.

The purpose of this device is easy to understand. Let it be assumed that sixty-two difierent goods are kept in stock in a factory. One of the sixty-two grooves in the device described is allocated to each of these sixty-two goods. Each of the steel balls contained in the supply container 11 represents a unit which can be determined as required, for example, each ball may represent 1 ton. Thus if there are sixty tons of item 1 in stock, then sixty balls are admitted into the groove marked No. 1. There may be twenty-five tons, for example, of item 2 in stock, so twenty-five balls are admitted. And the same procedure is followed for each of the goods kept in stock.

Any withdrawal is registered by actuating the corresponding outlet slide and any addition by operating the admission slide. Thus a clear general survey is given of the movement of goods inside the store.

In order to prevent the device from being operated without authorisation, that is to say in order that the admission and outlet sldies 5 and 6 cannot be moved, a locking device is provided.

By means of a key, which is not shown, and which can be inserted in a lock 32, a pivotally mounted disc 33 is operated at the back of the panel 2. Rods 34 are hinged eccentrically to the disc 33. Profiled bars 35 and 36 extending across the whole width of the panel are secured to the top and bottom of the rods respectively. These bars have dogs which fit into corresponding recesses in the slides 5 and 6. By this means the operation of the slides 5 and 6 is prevented.

In the example of construction described a large number of steel balls is used as the fluid medium.

It is obvious that instead of a solid medium, a liquid medium can be used. In this case it is, of course, necessary that special scales should be fitted beside the grooves which allow an even admission and outlet of the liquid so that the same result is obtained as with the use of the steel balls described above, each of which represent a unit. These ball units correspond to one unit in the division of the scale.

I claim:

1. A device for the visual representation of variable data, comprising, in combination, an upright plate having a front face formed with a plurality of upright parallel grooves; a transparent sheet attached to said front face of said upright plate and closing said grooves; a substantially horizontal elongated transparent supply container means for indicating balls fixedly secured to the upper edge of said upright plate and communicating with all said grooves for supplying balls to the same; inlet control slide means located at the upper end of each of said grooves and including a slide formed with a vertical bore, a stirring pin secured to said slide and projecting upwardly from the same so as to be adapted to project into balls supplied by said supply container means and supported on said slide, and a closure member located underneath and spaced from said slide and defining with the same a chamber for receiving a single ball, said inlet control slide means being movable between a closing position in which said closure member closes the associated groove and in which said vertical bore in said slide communicates with said supply container means for receiving a predetermined number of superimposed single balls in said bore and for permitting passing of a single ball into said chamber, and an open position in which said closure member opens the associated groove for releasing a single ball from said chamber, and in which said bore in said slide is staggered with respect to said groove and said slide interrupts communication between said supply conduit means and said groove, said stirring pin being adapted to stir balls supported on said slide during movement of said slide so as to facilitate passing of balls into said bore in said slide; outlet control slide means located at the lower end of each of said grooves and being movable between an open position permitting passing of a single ball and a closing position, said inlet control slide means and said outlet control slide means being mounted on said upright plate movable in a direction perpendicular to the same; locking bars mounted on said upright plate movable between a locking position extending over said inlet control slide means and over said outlet control slide and blocking movement of the same, and a releasing position located spaced from said inlet and outlet control slide means; a lock means supported on said upright plate and movable between a locked position and an opened position; motion transmitting means connecting said lock means with said locking bars for locking said locking bars in said locking position; and transparent receiving container means communicating with the lower ends of said grooves for receiving balls released by said outlet control slide means.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 and including resilient means urging said inlet control slide means and said outlet control slide means into said closing positions of the same; and manually operated button means secured to each of said inlet and outlet control slide means for 1,160,548 moving the same to said opening position of the same. 1,745,286 2,537,628 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,594,865

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 715,460 Daly Dec. 9, 1902 10 715,461 Daly Dec. 9, 1902 5 6 Story Nov. 16, 1915 White Jan. 28, 1930 Hanson et a1. Jan. 9, 1951 Bumstead Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland July 1, 1949 

